Seater Die

[HEAD0001]

I am getting ready to put in an order for some reloading equipment. I am going to start loading some RCBS 180 grain FP bullets in a 30-06. What is the best seating die to use for the cast bullet?? I normally use a Forster micrometer seating die for the jacketed bullets I use in the 30-06. Would this seating die work for cast bullets?? Thanks, Tom.

[1hole]

I seat cast in any seater dies but then I don't use bullets larger than normal diameter.

[462]

I've found that Lyman dies are more tolerant of fat-for-caliber boolits, compared to Lee, Hornady and RCBS. Also, I like the fact that their seater stems are interchangable and matched to their moulds' nose profiles --the same as a lubrisizer top punch -- which eliminates possible nose distortion and marking.

[Doc Highwall]

HEAD0001, I have been using the Forster benchrest seating dies for cast bullets. I did ream out one for my 308 Win to accept a .312" bullet and made a seater stem foe the SAECO #315 bullet. I have been using for a 30-30 Win with out being reamed. It depends on how large of a bullet you are going to use.

[Char-Gar]

My thoughts on the issue;

1. You can use a regular seating die, IF, the bullets are not to large for the alignment portion of the die. This depends on the make of die, the caliber and the size of the bullet.

2. I use a regular seating die for handgun loads, but not for rifle loads.

3. For rifle loads I use either a Vickerman, with an oversize bullet sleeve or a chamber type hand seater, again with an oversize bullet alignment chamber in the die.

4. Having a lathe, I make my own chamber type seaters from stubs of old barrels.

5. I could never see the value in a micrometer head on a seating die. I have a good vernier caliper to measure OAL length of the loaded rounds, so why spend the extra bucks for a fancy smancy die.

[largom]

I use a Hornady seating die for ALL of my cast boolit loads. However, I only use one die body. I make my own sliding sleeves and seating stems. The sliding sleeves are caliber specific and the seating stems are made for each mold/boolit. I also added a spring on top of the sleeve to put pressure on the case for perfect alignment. The sleves are bored for the largest boolit and the neck/shoulder recess is cut with a chamber reamer although it could be done without a reamer. The seating stems are made with a close fit to the sleeve bore and the boolit nose profile done with epoxy. There are pictures somewhere on this forum but I don't know where or how to find them. I got this idea from my Redding seating dies for J bullets.

Larry

[Doc Highwall]

Chargar, years ago I use to pick up used dies in the calibers that I reloaded for just for the seating die. For my 30/06 I would set up one for a 190 grain bullet and another for a 150 grain bullet and tag them for what they were set for. Another one was set for the 405 grain bullets for the 1895 Marlin and another one for the 457125 bullet for the Ballard. The trouble is you get a lot of extra dies.
Now days I like the micrometer and record the setting that I use for each bullet and it makes it easier for me.
For rifle I cannot say enough about the sliding chambers for the seating dies giving less run-out.
I am even incorporating them in my expanding dies with floating expander's.

[462]

I should have mentioned that, for rifle cartridges, I use Lyman's out of production Precision Alignment die, that are similar to Vickerman's. I have them for each cartridge and boolit design.

[gnoahhh]

I'm with Chargar on this one. They'll have to bury me with my old Vickerman seaters. In addition to .30, I use one in .22 and .25 also. I too make up custom seating chambers to match the bullet diameter du jour. I made up some custom extenders for short cartridges too. I only bought sizing dies for a long time now.

[Char-Gar]

462.. the old Lyman PA seating dies do make great cast bullet seating dies. In addition to the better alignment, the bullet chamber is large enough for most cast bullets.

A few years back some guy bought a huge storage unit of old NIB Lyman dies and such. Some were water damaged, but many were just fine. He was selling them for very cheap prices and I bought every size and caliber PA die available. I don't use them often, but I do agree they are fine cast bullet seaters.

Doc.. I have measured and recorded the OAL of every loaded round that has proven to be a good load. With a good set of calipers I can go back and reset the die anytime I want. I am basically cheap and don't spend money on the new and fancy if I can still do it just fine with the old and not fancy. I have had to work to darn hard for every nickle I have to spend them needlessly.

[Doc Highwall]

Chargar, I am cheep to. Years ago when I really got serious with competition shooting I learned that if something was working don't touch it. Some of my team mates were always farting around with powder,bullets and overall length.
The regular dies with the jamb nut work good for setting overall length, but they are not as easy to do as turning the micrometer on the Redding or Forster dies.
This is also great for doing tests for bullet jump and never losing your original setting. For me it is a way of making my hobby less stressful and more relaxing, and at this stage of my life with what I have been through I need all the relaxing I can get.

[Char-Gar]

Doc.. I have no doubt those micrometer seating dies make life easier than doing it my way. I am all for less stress. But spending money I don't have to, will stress me more than fiddling with the old fashion way of doing things. I told you I was cheap! :-)

[Cherokee]

I use the Lyman M die for expanding for rifle cast bullets and the Lyman seater for seating cast bullets. I like the matching seating stems for the bullet profile.

[Von Gruff]

I use my Wilson seating dies for my 7x57 with a couple of different cap and stems for the cast and jacketed. Had to make a new base for the seater so the case sat a little lower to take the extra dia of the loaded neck into account. Loads straighter than the Lyman dies I have as well.

Von Gruff.